The Hotel Investor Playbook

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The Hotel Investor Playbook

Michael Russell & Nathan St Cyr

57 episodes

5 days ago

Looking for hotel technology that can actually increase profit and reduce expenses without hiring an IT department? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, Michael Russell sits down with Sue Graves, founder of Experience Alive, who has spent over 30 years in hospitality and now helps hotel owners implement practical, affordable tech solutions that make a real financial impact. In this episode, you’ll discover several technology use cases you can implement today, including: Offload up to 50%...

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Looking for hotel technology that can actually increase profit and reduce expenses without hiring an IT department? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, Michael Russell sits down with Sue Graves, founder of Experience Alive, who has spent over 30 years in hospitality and now helps hotel owners implement practical, affordable tech solutions that make a real financial impact. In this episode, you’ll discover several technology use cases you can implement today, including: Offload up to 50%...

Show more...

Episodes (20/57)

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Hotel Technology You Can Install To Boost NOI | Sue Graves E56

Looking for hotel technology that can actually increase profit and reduce expenses without hiring an IT department? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, Michael Russell sits down with Sue Graves, founder of Experience Alive, who has spent over 30 years in hospitality and now helps hotel owners implement practical, affordable tech solutions that make a real financial impact. In this episode, you’ll discover several technology use cases you can implement today, including: Offload up to 50%...

1 week ago

43 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

How to Replace a Six-Figure Job with Boutique Hotel Investing | Tim Ensmann E55

Ever dreamed of quitting your six-figure job to build real wealth through hotels? This episode shows you what it actually takes. Tim Ensmann, founder of the T.C. Hotel Fund, shares how he went from tech sales to owning a multi-million-dollar boutique hotel portfolio in under five years. He reveals the sacrifices, systems, and strategies behind turning a $1.5M property into a $4.5M success story. He then shares how you can follow the same path without losing your sanity. You’ll learn: The real...

2 weeks ago

50 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Real Estate Syndications 101: How Investors and Operators Actually Get Paid | Michael Russell E54

Ever wonder where the money actually goes in a hotel deal? In this episode, Michael Russell breaks down real estate syndications in plain English. How investors and operators really get paid, what fees are fair, and how to structure deals that build long-term trust. Whether you’re looking to raise capital for your first project or invest passively, this is the playbook for understanding the math behind every syndication. You’ll learn: The simple breakdown between LPs and GPs and how each gets...

3 weeks ago

24 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

What It Really Takes to Buy Your First Hotel in 90 Days | Jacobo Hernandez E53

When most people say they want to buy a hotel, it’s just talk. Jacobo Hernandez sold his entire $10M short-term rental portfolio, packed his car, and hit the road for 90 days to find one. He toured 35 hotels, underwrote 2,000 deals, and slept in random motels across the U.S. before discovering a hidden gem, a 59-room hotel on 10 acres in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, for just $1.2 million. Now he’s turning it into Forest Springs Hotel & Spa, a wellness-focused retreat with saunas, cold plunge...

1 month ago

54 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Building a Lifestyle Hotel Brand in Costa Rica | Bill Graf E52

We’ve all dreamt of quitting our bland corporate jobs to buy a hotel in Costa Rica… well, today’s guest did that. After leaving a private equity career in San Francisco, Bill Graf traded suits for surf towns and founded Onda, a hospitality brand in Costa Rica that blends the style of a boutique hotel with the social energy of a hostel. You’ll learn: How to uncover hidden opportunities in small hotels that big players ignoreWhat U.S. investors should know about buying real estate in Costa Ric...

1 month ago

58 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

The “Hotel Guru” on Where to Invest Next & How to Fund Deals | Bob Rauch E51

The hotel industry is changing: costs are rising, AI is here, and investors are getting more selective. This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sat down with Bob Rauch, better known as The Hotel Guru. From starting out as a dishwasher to building and selling a 20-hotel management company, then launching Brick Hospitality and managing nearly 1,000 rooms, Bob has seen it all. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to spot hot markets (and avoid the ones that eat your profits)The truth about us...

1 month ago

57 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Why 2026 Looks Rocky for U.S. Hotels And Where Smart Investors Can Hit Big | Jan Freitag E50

Where is the hotel market headed in 2026, and how can investors succeed in a challenging environment? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sat down with Jan Freitag, National Director of Hospitality Analytics at CoStar. With over 30 years of experience analyzing hotel performance data, Jan is one of the most respected voices in the industry. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to use data and analytics to spot opportunities others overlookWhy conviction and strong operations can outperform ...

1 month ago

46 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

How to Craft a Hotel People Will Actually Remember | Bashar Wali E49

The most powerful part of a hotel stay isn’t the design or the amenities, it’s the feeling guests take home. That’s the philosophy of Bashar Wali, one of the most candid and creative voices in hospitality, who's spent 30+ years building, operating, and reinventing hotels around the world. In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, Bashar shares: Why “give-a-shit-ability” beats corporate playbooksThe power of emotional intelligence in hotel teamsThe biggest mistakes first-time owners make...

2 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

What Makes a Hotel Succeed or Fail? | Naveed Khan E48

How do you turn a struggling hotel into a profitable asset? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sit down with Naveed Khan, co-founder of London Rock Partners, a hotel management and advisory firm that oversees everything from branded hotels like Holiday Inn to boutique independents and even a 650-bed hostel in London. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the first step in turning around a hotel always starts with people, not P&LsThe advantages (and risks) of branded vs. independent...

2 months ago

49 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

From CEO of Days Inn to Launching Marriott’s Autograph Collection | Richard Kessler E47

Few people have left a mark on hospitality like Richard Kessler. He started his hospitality career by helping scale Days Inn into a household name as the early CEO Then he founded the Kessler Collection, one of the leading boutique hotel portfolios in the U.S., which ultimately helped launch Marriott’s Autograph Collection. In this episode, Richard shares the biggest lessons from his 50-year career, including: • How to lead through downturns and find opportunity in distress • Wh...

2 months ago

1 hour 6 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

How To Use Social Media To Raise Capital And Find Deals | Soli Cayetano E46

What if your first hotel deal could be funded almost entirely through Instagram? This week’s guest, Soli Cayetano AKA lattes.and.leases on Instagram, went from barista to building a $13M real estate portfolio in just four years. After exiting her residential investing business, she turned to hospitality and now co-owns a 13-key boutique wellness hotel in Palm Springs that’s already been featured in Forbes, Vogue, and Travel & Leisure. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Soli raised $2.5M i...

2 months ago

55 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Building Hotels That Last the Test of Time | Brandon Gore E45

Most hotel investors default to syndication — raising capital from dozens of limited partners and layering in complex waterfalls. But what if there’s a smarter, simpler path? This week’s guest, Brandon Gore, is building The Outlier Hotel, a 10-cabin luxury retreat in Arkansas designed to last 100 years. Instead of chasing the traditional syndication model, he’s structuring the project as a joint venture — lowering pressure, creating strong cash flow, and unlocking tax advantages that limited ...

2 months ago

51 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

The Marketing Playbook Every Small Hotel Owner Needs | Steph Weber E44

Think great marketing is only for big hotels with big budgets? Think again. In this episode, we talk with Steph Weber, a marketing and branding expert who helps boutique hotel and STR owners drive direct bookings. She breaks down how she finds her audience, tells a compelling brand story, and uses limited resources to drive big results. You’ll learn: How to identify your property’s unique selling pointsSimple marketing strategies that work for small hotels and innsWhy guest experience is your...

3 months ago

51 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

The Beginner's Guide To Building Wealth In Hospitality | Jonathan Mueller E43

Think you need a perfect plan to start investing in hospitality? Think again. In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Mueller, an everyday investor who went from zero experience and a failed multifamily deal to buying a $250K roadside motel and building a growing hospitality portfolio. He didn’t have a background in hotels, didn’t have much of a strategy, and still made it work through pure action, problem-solving, and a willingness to pivot. You’ll learn: Why taking action beats waiting f...

3 months ago

43 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Hotel Marketing Decoded: What Every Owner Needs to Know | Anthony Chiaravallo E42

Is your marketing helping your hotel or just draining your budget? In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Chiaravallo, founder of Vallo Media, who has managed over $100M in ad spend for brands like Nike, Resorts World, and boutique hotels across the country. Whether you're trying to fill beds or scale a brand, Anthony breaks down how to think about hotel marketing in a way that actually drives bookings. You’ll learn: How to build a full-funnel strategy that drives real bookingsWhat makes a...

3 months ago

44 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Syndication Simplified: The Strategy That Builds Generational Wealth | Desiree Doubrox E41

Ever wondered how people raise millions to buy real estate without using their own money? In this episode, Desiree Doubrox breaks down the world of syndication and how she built an eight-figure fund while empowering hundreds of others to do the same. Whether you're new to investing or ready to raise capital for your first deal, this conversation simplifies the path to building generational wealth. You’ll learn: What syndication really is and how it applies beyond real estateHow to gain credib...

3 months ago

52 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

A Masterclass In Experiential Hospitality With The Bolt Farm Treehouse Founders | Tori and Seth Bolt E40

Instead of chasing bookings, the founders behind Bolt Farm Treehouse create an obsession amongst their guests, and they do it with love at the center of everything. Their hospitality business heals relationships, attracts top-tier employees, and doesn't require the use of OTAs In this episode, Seth and Tori Bolt break their iconic hospitality business where luxury stays meet emotional transformation. You’ll hear: How to design experiences that emotionally move your guestsWhy 100% of their boo...

4 months ago

54 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

$187M Hotel Portfolio by Age 30: How to Choose the Right Deals, Brands, and Ops Model | Sujay Mehta E39

Thinking about buying or operating a hotel, but not sure where to start? Sujay Mehta built a $187M hospitality portfolio by betting on himself, starting lean, and learning through execution. In this episode, he breaks down what most people get wrong about hotel investing and how you can start smarter. You’ll learn: How to determine which hotel brand fits a deal bestHow the “Mamba Mentality” shaped his risk tolerance and executionWhat he learned by making his first deal a ground-up development...

4 months ago

1 hour 10 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Turning Passion into Profit in Rural Hospitality | Dave Cook E38

What does it take to build a successful hospitality business in a small rural town, with no outside investors? Dave Cook, founder of Barn Door Hostel in Rumney, New Hampshire, walks us through his journey from hostel volunteer to hostel owner. We dive into: How he used sweat equity and personal savings to convert an old chicken coop into a thriving hostelHis research process on demand, shared economy trends, and local recreation patternsThe hidden cost of rural hospitality: zoning, septic, AD...

4 months ago

44 minutes

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Bootstrapped Hospitality: Scaling Your Hotel Portfolio Without Major Capital | Austin Phippen E37

Today’s guest bought a roadside motel in a town of 900 people and turned it into a thriving hospitality brand. In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate sit down with Austin Phippen, a 26‑year‑old owner of Chama Trails Motel, a portfolio of 12 short-term rentals and a scenic wedding venue in Chama, New Mexico. What you’ll learn from this episode: The “Motel Hack” mindset: How Austin got in with seller financing and turned the motel into both home and businessScaling withou...

4 months ago

37 minutes